Letter 11
06/01/23 14:29
My Dearest Bunty,
Where do I start with my news following Christmas? I shall start with the most important news that Cook has decided to retire in the New Year! Woe, woe and thrice woe I say, but her reasons are quite understandable after the behaviour of my niece and nephew from England towards her. Let me start at the very beginning...
Sir Hector's sister and her demon brood arrived as expected on 23 December, with nothing but complaints from her about the cold she felt in the house. I can say I did attempt to greet her with open arms but you could see some thermal clothing over the collar of her tweeds, needless to say they were not of the winter variety so beloved of the Kirk ladies up here in the North East! As if that was not enough, young Fraser and young Margo then proceeded to take one of the estate cars and head into the village - to the public house of all places! I was not amused in the slightest as our evening meal was delayed in the hope that they would return from that dreadful place in one piece and sit down to dine with us, but I was wrong. Sir H was livid when they did arrive at 11:30, quite the worse for drink I can tell you and with tales from that sort you can meet in any public house in any part of the country. Indeed young Fraser was a little too fresh with Catriona our Estate Manager who came in to tell Sir H that there was a dent in the car, which the children took into the village. He was most displeased, but in order to keep in with his dreadful sister, made light of the situation at that point, but on retiring to our bedroom he was ranting and raving like some third rate cinema production. I kept my peace you will be glad to hear, but I have marked the event in my diary as an indicator of what was to come, and goodness, come it did!
Still I took my relaxation and comfort in watching the snow come in from the north as I had hopped for and seeing the Estate garlanded in snowflakes. Catriona did a sterling job of keeping the drives and paths cleared underfoot, but you know I love to hear that crisp crunch underfoot on day old snow. It was the morning after the snowfall that Housekeeper informed me that she had found suspicious cigarette stubs in Fraser's room. On investigation it was as I had feared (but I can say I secretly relished the fact) that he is on drugs. Oh! How Sir H ranted and raved to his sister! It was a sight to see: the smirk was removed, possibly forever, from that overdone face. I kept out of the room of course but with the door of the Morning Room ajar I was able to hear every single word, some of them most foul I can tell you! The argument raged for an hour with her saying she would never come back to Scotland again, her loss I thought to myself, and that she knew I was victimising the young people and after all there was nothing for them to do up here! I ask you, did they not look out of the House windows and see the magnificence of Scotland in winter? Goodness, there are people willing to PAY for such a view at this time of year, and we should know!
Things got worse as the day progressed and Fraser and Margo were involved ultimately and the show-down came over supper, where Fraser through his plate of meats into the dining room fire in a temper saying that it was not up to the standards of MacDonald's! Cook was most upset and threatened to leave on the spot, but we have managed to calm her down and she is going to stay until the New Year guests have gone!
I have to say I loved the fact that my sister-in-law and her brood have had a come-uppance at last and I retired to bed that evening most satisfied. My own darlings would never behave like that.
Yours as always, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2004
Where do I start with my news following Christmas? I shall start with the most important news that Cook has decided to retire in the New Year! Woe, woe and thrice woe I say, but her reasons are quite understandable after the behaviour of my niece and nephew from England towards her. Let me start at the very beginning...
Sir Hector's sister and her demon brood arrived as expected on 23 December, with nothing but complaints from her about the cold she felt in the house. I can say I did attempt to greet her with open arms but you could see some thermal clothing over the collar of her tweeds, needless to say they were not of the winter variety so beloved of the Kirk ladies up here in the North East! As if that was not enough, young Fraser and young Margo then proceeded to take one of the estate cars and head into the village - to the public house of all places! I was not amused in the slightest as our evening meal was delayed in the hope that they would return from that dreadful place in one piece and sit down to dine with us, but I was wrong. Sir H was livid when they did arrive at 11:30, quite the worse for drink I can tell you and with tales from that sort you can meet in any public house in any part of the country. Indeed young Fraser was a little too fresh with Catriona our Estate Manager who came in to tell Sir H that there was a dent in the car, which the children took into the village. He was most displeased, but in order to keep in with his dreadful sister, made light of the situation at that point, but on retiring to our bedroom he was ranting and raving like some third rate cinema production. I kept my peace you will be glad to hear, but I have marked the event in my diary as an indicator of what was to come, and goodness, come it did!
Still I took my relaxation and comfort in watching the snow come in from the north as I had hopped for and seeing the Estate garlanded in snowflakes. Catriona did a sterling job of keeping the drives and paths cleared underfoot, but you know I love to hear that crisp crunch underfoot on day old snow. It was the morning after the snowfall that Housekeeper informed me that she had found suspicious cigarette stubs in Fraser's room. On investigation it was as I had feared (but I can say I secretly relished the fact) that he is on drugs. Oh! How Sir H ranted and raved to his sister! It was a sight to see: the smirk was removed, possibly forever, from that overdone face. I kept out of the room of course but with the door of the Morning Room ajar I was able to hear every single word, some of them most foul I can tell you! The argument raged for an hour with her saying she would never come back to Scotland again, her loss I thought to myself, and that she knew I was victimising the young people and after all there was nothing for them to do up here! I ask you, did they not look out of the House windows and see the magnificence of Scotland in winter? Goodness, there are people willing to PAY for such a view at this time of year, and we should know!
Things got worse as the day progressed and Fraser and Margo were involved ultimately and the show-down came over supper, where Fraser through his plate of meats into the dining room fire in a temper saying that it was not up to the standards of MacDonald's! Cook was most upset and threatened to leave on the spot, but we have managed to calm her down and she is going to stay until the New Year guests have gone!
I have to say I loved the fact that my sister-in-law and her brood have had a come-uppance at last and I retired to bed that evening most satisfied. My own darlings would never behave like that.
Yours as always, Flora
This story first appeared on www.panetwork.co.uk in 2004